The present invention is generally related to automotive and truck accessories. The present invention is also related to snow chains for tires. The present invention additionally relates to techniques for mounting snow chains on tires. In addition, the present invention is related to devices for securing snow chains on tires.
In many parts of the country and the world, winter driving requires the use of snow chains on tires in order to provide traction on icy and snow-packed roads. When a road is covered with snow, vehicle tires run an increased risk of skidding or losing traction. This is particularly true for large tractor-trailor trucks which are required by law in many jurisdictions to utilize snow chains during hazardous winter driving conditions. Such snow chains are often difficult to secure to truck tires, particularly in cold and icy conditions. Once the snow chains are secured to truck tires, it would be desirable to maintain the snow chains securely about the tires without having to constantly reattach or readjust (e.g., tighten) the chains on the snow tires when they become loose.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a set of double-wide snow chains 10 which are typically utilized as traction devices on large trucks. The chains, or xe2x80x9c3-Railerxe2x80x9d, are usually xc2xc-inch or xe2x85x9c-inch in diameter, and have three longitudinal runners 11-13 and a plurality of cross chains 14. The extensions 15 of the runners extend beyond the cross chains at one end to function as adjusting links.
The other end of the runners has three half-links 16 which are utilized as hooks, and, when installed on the tires, are hooked into one of the adjusting links in the extended runners 15. The two outside runners each have a chain cam 17 which may be utilized to tighten the chains as required for driving. A set of these chains are typically about eight feet long and are spaced approximately ten inches apart. The cross chains 14 are approximately 10 inches apart through the length of the chains.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a set of double truck wheels 21 and tires 22 mounted on a single axle 23. Wheel holes 24 enable a visual inspection of brake components (not shown), and provide access to valve stems for the tires 22. The wheels are manufactured with a wheel rim 25 where the tires are mounted. Snow chains are manufactured so that a single set of double-wide chains 10, covers both tires.
A set of double-wide snow chains weighs approximately 75 pounds. Therefore, without any assistance, these snow chains are extremely difficult for one person to install on the truck tires. To install the snow chains (i.e., xe2x80x9cchain upxe2x80x9d), the chains are draped over the dual truck tires to the ground. The truck may then be backed up or moved forward to roll over the chains so they can be fastened together with the hooks 16 and adjusting links 15. Slack in the snow chains, however, tends to follow the wheel as it turns. Therefore the hooks 16 and adjusting links 15 often do not reach each other after driving over the chains because the slack may be held under the tire.
Alternatively, the driver may lay the chains out on the ground behind the tires, and then attempt to drive onto the chains. The two ends of the chain set must then be lifted and hooked together without any slack in the chains. This is difficult to accomplish, however, without creating undesirable slack in the chains, especially in the icy or snowy conditions which are typical.
Once the chains are wrapped about the tires and the truck begins to move, the chains usually become loose as the truck moves forward through icy or snowy conditions. Techniques have been developed that attempt to secure the chains to the tires using elastic-type chords or cables.: Due to the elastic nature of such chords, however, the chains easily become loose and the driver is often forced to stop the truck and re-secure the chains to the tires. Constantly stopping every few miles during icy and snowy conditions to resecure these elastic-type chords presents a hazard to the driver and to other motorists on the road, not to mention the inconvenience the driver faces from the loss of time. Most jurisdictions in the United States require trucks to use snow tires during icy or snowy conditions. The constant stopping and retightening of such elastic type cables, however, will slow the truck driver down and prevent the truck from making progress toward its next destination during icy or snowy conditions.
In order to overcome the disadvantages of existing methods of installing, maintaining and using current snow chains on tires, it would be advantageous to have improved methods and apparatuses that permits truck drivers to efficiently secure snow tire chains to tires without the necessity of constantly having to resecure the chains to the tires, particularly during ice and snowy conditions. In addition, it would be advantageous to implement a device which may be easily utilized by one person to securely anchor snow chains to a tire so that the chains can be wrapped around the tire with little resulting slack. The present invention provides such a device.
It is one aspect of the present invention to provide improved automotive and truck accessories.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide improved methods for mounting snow chains on tires.
It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for efficiently securing snow chains on tires.
It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide a securing mechanism for securing cables to snow tire chains mounted on tires.
It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide a tensioning mechanism for tightening or loosening cables within the securing mechanism.
The above and other aspects of the present invention are achieved as is now described. A method and apparatus for securing snow tire chains to tires. Two cables may be secured to snow tire chains secured about at least one tire utilizing a securing mechanism. It is expected, however, that the present invention will be more appropriately utilized with double wide truck tires. The two cables can be secured to the securing mechanism by a connecting mechanism integrated with the securing mechanism. The cables may be connected to the snow tire chains by connectors or hooks attached to particular chain links of the snow tire chains. Additionally, a locking mechanism can be integrated with the securing mechanism to tighten and lock the cables in place at a desired tension. The securing mechanism may be centrally mounted along a side of the tire or tires. The securing mechanism can be configured with a chamber for receiving the cables within the securing mechanism. The tension mechanism may generally be located centrally within the securing mechanism. The cables can be attached to the snow tire chains utilizing an attachment mechanism.